THE RIDE is a unique, in-depth look into the world of professional bull riding, featuring a motley crew of three professional riders, a bullfighter, a rodeo entertainer, a country crooner, and a million-dollar bucking-bull breeder. THE RIDE reveals the chaotic and gritty “life in the left lane” of these true-to-life cowboys—the punks and shit-kickers of the Wild West.
THE RIDE revolves around the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) circuit, a tour that includes 45 of the world’s top riders. The film is bookended with explosive competition footage brimming with hulking bulls, airborne riders, and high-wattage pyrotechnics. Sandwiched in the middle is a journey across the back roads of America that reveals THE RIDE’s cast of characters, each with genuine wit and that unmistakable cowboy aura.
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"I always thought being a cowboy meant riding a horse out on the range somewhere, wearing a big hat and looking really stoic at sunset, but after a year and a half on the road with these guys I realized they are the true rebels of society, the 'wild' in the wild west,” said the film’s director, Meredith Danluck. “We went along to film them not just in the arena, but in their daily life, which consists mainly of raising hell, breaking rules, and living each day like it was their last."
After being introduced to the PBR, Danluck was hooked on the iconic and unforgettable world of modern day cowboys. In the spring of 2008, the crew embarked on their tour across America, resulting in the full-length documentary, THE RIDE. Their travels introduced them to 21-year-old millionaire rider JB Mauney, ex-Amish hopeful Willy Ropp, fearless bull fighter Shorty Gorham, PBR entertainer extraordinaire Flint Rassmussen, talented singer/songwriter Leann Hart, and the million dollar bull breeding big-wig Tom Teague.
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The idea of the cowboy and the American West is set firmly in the American psyche. Countless films have portrayed the West as a place of freedom and danger, but, above all, a place of boundless possibility. Though we may think they are a thing of the past, cowboys still exist, and the professional bull riding circuit is the one place you’re guaranteed to find them. The cowboys’ earnest reflections on personal liberty, family struggle and the country’s changing identity paint a vivid portrait of an America both at odds and in love with itself. Through the film’s epic cinematography we come to understand that The Cowboy continues to embody the mythology of the American hero, though in an entirely modern way.
The Professional Bull Riders’ circuit is a tour of the top 45 bull riders in the world, consisting of roughly 32 stops a year around the US. The winner of the world title in Vegas also wins a million dollars, so it’s safe to say this is not some little backyard rodeo. Bull riding has entered the mainstream. Droves of fans flock to the sold out arenas toting signs and banners in frenzied support of their favorite riders, making this the fastest growing sport in America. All the while the cowboys are hustling, trying to stay on their bulls, trying to make ends meet and raising hell… good ‘ol boy style!
Beginning and ending with explosive event footage and packed with daredevil bull riding, pyrotechnics and big arena rock and roll fanfare, The Ride goes full circle as it takes through the complex lives of one compelling character to the next. The characters surprise with their gritty cowboy personas and genuine wit.
The Ride features professional bull riders JB Mauney, Amish hopeful Willy Ropp, PBR entertainer Flint Rassmussen, bull fighter Shorty Gorham, talented singer songwriter Leann Hart, millionaire bucking bull breeder Tom Teague and an original score by Brooklyn band The Weight.
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About Marc Eastman
Marc Eastman is the owner and operator of Are You Screening? and has been writing film reviews for over a decade, and several branches of the internet's film review world have seen his name. His reviews have brought him personal praise from the director of a major motion picture, and have been used as required reading in a course at a major University. These priceless rewards, along with just bags of cash, keep him from straying from freelance writing. He is also a member of The Broadcast Film Critics Association and The Broadcast Television Journalists Association.
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